Self adjusting chair



May 23, 1933. I Q B RECTQR 1,910,363

SELF ADJUSTING CHAIR Filed Jan. 20, 1930' INVENTOR. J: ;.i CZAAENCE- 5 PECTOP.

BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES CLARENCE B. HECTOR, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA SELF ADJUSTING GI'IAIR Application filed January 20, 1930. Serial No. 421,894.

This invention relates to improvements in reclining or easy chairs of the self adjusting type wherein the occupant thereof by leaning forward or backward may automatically adjust the chair as desired, such chair being shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,738,115 issued December An object of the invention is to provide a chair of the character described which may be advantageously constructed of comparatively few light metal parts and can vas or similar flexible fabric, arranged in a particularly efficient manner to provide for maximum strength, durability, comfort and ease of adjustment, as well as for the easy folding or collapsing thereof into small compass.

Another object is to provide in a chair of the character described a novel joint arrangement between the canvas back and seat portions and the metal frame portions of the chair, whereby the occupant is comfortably suspended and supported solely by the canvas portions and is not required to sit upon or come into contact with uncomfortable metal or other parts of the chair.

A further object is to provide a chair of the character described in which the frame and associated parts thereof are of novel construction and arrangement to provide properly balanced and easily adjustable seat, back, arm rest, and foot rest portions which are simultaneously adjusted and assume proper relative positions when the occupant of the chair leans forward or backward, the arm and foot rests permitting the occupant to more easily and effectively exert the necessary forces to adjust the chair.

Still another object is to provide a chair of the character described in which the adj ustable parts are suspended in a novel manner on a body frame which is constructed and arranged to provide maximum rigidity,

stability and strength while at the same time being collapsible and foldable into small compass.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with into small compass.

the foregoing, will be set forthin the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chair of my invention, as when in upright position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the chair as when adjusted to permit of a reclining posture of the occupant thereof,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the chair as when collapsed and folded into small compass. V

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of one side of the chair as when folded.

The present embodiment of the invention as illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawing, comprises a chair preferably constructed of strap metal and canvas or like fabric arranged to be collapsed and folded The construction and arrangement of the chair is such that but comparatively few and simply constructed parts of light weight are necessary to provide a strong, rigid and durable and easily adjustable and comfortable chair which may be adjusted as desired by and upon the occupant leaning backward or forward. WVhile the frame is preferably made of nar- -5 raw metal bars or strips which are advantageous in view of the smallness, lightness, strength, flexibility, durability and better appearance thereof, yet I may use wood or other material if desired. 9

As here shown, the chair comprises a main or body frame 4 preferably constructed of comparatively small, narrow metal bars arranged to form side members 5 each consisting of crossed leg bars 6 and 7 pivoted as at 8 where crossed and provided. with foot members 9 on their lower ends. The sides 5 are rigidly joined by transverse brace rods 10 and 11 extending between pairs of the legs 6 and 7 near the lower ends thereof.

folded into small compass as will be later more fully described. Adjustably supported on the main frame 4 is an adjustable. front frame 16 and an adjustable back frame 17 which are detachably joined by arm rest bars 18, on which bars 18 wooden or other cushioning bars 20 may be fixed. The front frame 16 consists of two metal bars 21 joined at their lower ends by a transverse foot rest 22 which is supported and fixed on the forwardly bent lower ends 23 of said bars in such manner that said ends 23 will barely clear the floor yet will touch the floor when the occupant stands thereon whereby the forward tipping of the chair is prevented. when the occupant stands on the foot rest. At-points near, but spaced below the upper ends thereof, bars 21 of the front frame 16 are pivoted as at 24 to the upper terminals of the bars 6 of the side members 5 of the main frame 4. At

- their upper ends the bars 21 are fixedly pivjoined at their upper ends by a removable rod 29 held in place by a suitable fastening 30, whereas the lower ends of said bars are joined by a similar rod 31. The bars 28 at points near but spaced upwardly from the lower ends thereof'are pivoted as at 32 to the leg bars 7 at points spaced below the upper ends ofsaid leg bars, and the pivots 32 serve also to connect the braces 12 with the leg bars 7. It will now be clear that the bars 7 and 28 of the main frame 4 and back frame 17 extend beyond the point of pivotal connection thereof with one another. This is an important structural arrangement, since it provides two advantages. First, the extended ends 33 of the bars 7 of the main frame 4 serve most effectively as stops arranged to engage the arm rest bars 18 as showninFigure 2 to limit the reclining adj ustment of the chair. Secondly, the extended portions 34 of the bars 29 of the back frame 17 dispose the brace or cross rod 31 in such a low position that the occupant of the chair is not required to sit on and contact with said cross rod.

To provide seat and back rest portions for the chair, I preferably employ a single piece 35 of canvas secured at its ends to rods 26 and 29 of the front and back frames 16 and 17 respectively, and fastened between its ends to the cross rod 31, whereby a flexible seat portion 36 and a flexible back rest portion 37 are provided, also a leg shield or supporting portion 38. In making the joint between the rod 31 and the canvas sheet, said sheet is doubled as at 39 and stitched as at 40 to define a joint of the seat and back portions 36 and 37, which joint is spaced several inches above the rod 31 and defines a tab like loop provided by the doubling and stitching the material as aforesaid. The rod 31 passes through the doubled or looped portion 39 and thus the canvas is held securely in place in such manner that the occupant does not come in contact with the bar 31which is spaced well below the stitched joint 40. Although the canvas passes over and lies upon the rod 27, the weight of the occupant of the chair is not placed on the forward part of the seat and said bar is only lightly contacted with by the under side of the legs of the occupant. It will be noted that the seat portion 36 has a downward and rearward inclination whereby the weight of occupant is thrown well back and the occupant is caused to sit well back into the chair away from the forward edge of the seat portion 36 and rod 27 under and at said edge. It is important to note that the stitched joint .40 between the seat and back rest portions 36 and 37 comprise a flexible joint which conforms to the curvature of the back of the occupant of the chair and therefore adds to the comfort of said occupant. However by having the canvas sheet extended downward below said stitched joint and fastened to the lower end to the cross rod 31 it is seen that a strong and secure fastening of the canvas sheet is readily provided. Preferably the lower ends of the bars 28 are curved outward or rearward whereby the rod 31 is disposed rearward of the plane of the back 37.

' Provision for an easy removal and replacement of the canvas when it becomes worn or torn is made by having the rods to which it is attached readily removable and by forming loops in the ends and at the doubled portion 39 of the canvas through which loops said rods may be extended and withdrawn.

To provide for collapsing and folding the chair thearm rest bars 18 are removably joined to the bars 28 of the back frame 17 by means of removable pivot pins 42 held in place by wing nuts 43. 7 To collapse the chair these wing nuts and pivots are removed and the arm rests are swung forward into downwardly hanging position shown in Figure 3. Next, the back frame 17 is invertedand then the braces 12 are collapsed downward to permit the legs to fold together whereby the chair parts then assume the compactly folded condition shown in Fig. 3. The chair when thus folded may be easily carried or stored as desired. The arrangement is such that it may be quickly extended into position of use and set up in this position by replacing the pivots 42 and wing nuts 43. It will be noted that the upper ends of the bars 21 of the front frame 16 are outwardly offset as at 45 to permit of the free movement of the lower ends of the bars 28 when collapsing and extending the chair.

I claim:

In a reclining chair, a body frame includ ing legs oined in pairs, a front frame pivoted to and suspended from the upper forward ends of said legs, a back frame including a pair of uprights each having a pivotal connection with and extending upwardly from portions of and adjacent an upper rear end of said legs, said last named leg ends being extended upwardly and forwardly in a curve from said pivotal connection, the lower ends of said uprights being extended downwardly and rearwardly of said pivotal connection, arm rests pivoted to said front and back frames and disposed with said chair in reclining position to contact said upwardly and forwardly extended leg ends, a flexible sheet attached to said front and back frames and defining seat and back rest portion, a tab depending from said sheet, and a member carried by said downwardly and rearwardly extending upright ends and secured to said tab.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, California, this 7th day of January, 1930.

CLARENCE B. RECTOR. 

